Students of Shishu Sarothi perform Kola Kawrir Gaan directed by Bhagirathi last year

Oct. 12: It’s a “dramatic” bond between disabled young people and a theatre group: a “beautiful relationship” that spans 10 long years. Now, normal kids from the mainstream are taking part in child’s play.

National Award-winning theatre director-actress Bhagirathi and children of Shishu Sarothi — the city-based centre for rehabilitation and training for multiple disabilities — share an unbreakable bond of love and understanding.

For the past 10 years, Bhagirathi has been directing the children for an annual play. Every time, connoisseurs laud her for succeeding in the practically impossible task of making a spastic child perform like any other normal actor.

This time, once again, spastic children and their director are busy rehearsing for their annual ritual. But a new element has been added to this relationship: normal child actors.

The play, Siyalor Biya, will be staged at the auditorium of Rabindra Bhawan in the city on November 4.

“Every year, I stage a play along with the children of Shishu Sarothi. But this time, I have decided to rope in normal child actors in our effort. This is just to show that these special children are as good as other normal children,” said Bhagirathi. “These special children are great actors, stars in their own right. They even pick up some of the toughest nuances of acting pretty fast. And I enjoy working with them,” added the director.

The 30-minute-long play has been written by Sirajul Haque, an actor of Seagull Repertory Group under the Seagull Theatre Academy, run by Bhagirathi and her actor-director husband Baharul Islam.

A total of 35 actors will enact different characters in the play, based on a smart fox and his adventures. The play will have a colourful setting. The kids, too, will dress up in colourful costumes.

“The objective of engaging the children in acting is to bring forth their hidden creativity. As we work with special children, we have devised unique methods to develop their skills and creativity,” said a member of Shishu Sarothi. “We are thankful to director Bhagirathi, who has brought to the surface the latent talents of our children.”

Meghali, who will be seen in a meaty role on the day of the play, is quite excited at getting a chance to enact a major part. “I am working hard to put in my best. Moreover, it’s fun to work with Bhagirathi Aunty and my friends,” said Meghali.

Islam and Bhagirathi formed the Seagull Theatre Academy in 1990. Bhagirathi is also the principal of Seagull Theatre Academy. Seagull also boasts a children’s acting school.

Today, Seagull is doing pioneering work in spreading the message of experimental theatre in all parts of the state. It has emerged as one of the prominent theatre troupes in the Northeast.

Some of the highly acclaimed productions of Seagull were staged at the Bharat Rang Mahotsav, organised by the National School of Drama, New Delhi, Prithvi Festival, Mumbai and Sangeet Natak Akademi’s Festivals in Guwahati, Delhi and Hyderabad.